


The Doctor and the Three Tests

by tinkertoysdamn



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fairy Tale Retellings, M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-07
Updated: 2013-04-07
Packaged: 2017-12-07 19:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/752416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinkertoysdamn/pseuds/tinkertoysdamn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>  A response to <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/st_respect/">st_respect's</a> fairy tale prompt.  Spock and McCoy end up separated on a mysterious planet and the good doctor must face three dangers to rescue the Vulcan.  A retelling of a Haida folktale.   </p>
            </blockquote>





	The Doctor and the Three Tests

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: the awesome [ntjnke](http://ntjnke.livejournal.com/)  
> 

“And this is for Mr. Spock.”Joanna pressed a bracelet woven with blue and green threads into her father’s palm.The edges of the piece were ragged, the design uneven, but it was the craftsmanship of his little girl, which made it perfect in Leonard’s eyes.

“Can I ask what it is?” McCoy asked.

Joanna rolled her eyes and huffed.“It’s a friendship bracelet, Daddy.I made it at school and since you and Mr. Spock are getting to be such good friends I thought he should have it.”Joanna plastered a knowing grin on her face.

Leonard felt his face flush; there was nothing worse than having your nine-year old see through the “good friend” ruse.Leonard smiled and hugged his daughter tight.“I’ll make sure he gets it.”

The shuttle port intercom blared on, shattering the moment.Leonard sighed; he never had enough time with Joanna.Even back when he was working at the hospital he hadn’t enough time.Now it was even worse since he only saw her during shore leave.He extradited himself from Joanna’s death grip.“That’s my ride, baby girl.”

“I know.I don’t want you to go,” she said.

Leonard’s chest ached.“I’m sorry, Jojo, but they need me up there.Can you imagine if I just left everything up to Uncle Jim and Spock?” Leonard asked.

Joanna shook her head furiously.“No.”

Leonard laughed at his daughter’s expression.She frowned and held her father’s gaze with her too adult eyes.“Just tell me stories when you get back, okay?You promise?”She held out her pinky finger.

McCoy just leveled her with a solemn look of his own and hooked his pinky with hers.“I promise.”

\--------------------

Leonard’s first order of business upon returning to the ship was delivering Joanna’s present to Spock.Unfortunately, the second the _Enterprise_ crew reported back from shore leave, they were sent out on assignment to survey an uninhabited M Class planet.   So instead of catching up with his “good friend” and distributing gifts from well-meaning little girls, McCoy spent all his time in sickbay gathering together antihistamines on the off chance that the planet contained something that could kill them.  


That meant that the first time Leonard saw Spock again was when they met up with the rest of the landing party in the transporter room before beaming down to the planet Epsilon Beta Theta.

The tall trees thrilled Dr. Jolsen, the new botanist, as did the fragrant flowers and moss covered ground.The three security officers were less enthusiastic, spending most of their time grumbling about why they were being dragged on a harmless survey mission.Obviously, these gentlemen had never been away from the ship before.

A strange cluster of bushes drew Spock’s attention and McCoy decided to follow.The doctor just couldn’t bring himself to trust an M Class planet without intelligent life.Mostly because that usually meant the _Enterprise_ would spend the next several days being chased by hostile beings.

Fool me once, shame on you.Fool me thirty times and it was time for a resignation.

Spock interrupted McCoy’s train of thought by asking, “How was your visit with your daughter?”

Leonard was surprised at the chance for small talk.“It was good,” McCoy answered.“We went out horseback riding, visited some of our old haunts and some of her new ones.”He glanced up from his tricorder.“She made you a present.”

“Indeed?”Spock raised an eyebrow.His lips quirked in what could only be described as pleasant surprise.

“Actually,” McCoy reached into his pocket.“I have it right—“

“Doctor, would you look at this?”Spock stood before a strange tree.As McCoy ventured closer, he noticed that it seemed to have a face.

Dark grey bark wrapped around a figure that looked too humanoid for comfort.The upper branches stretched up as if they were arms thrown up to block a blow, the bend of roots poking out of the ground suggested twisted legs and, worst of all, the open knot in the center made a shrieking mouth.

Spock reached a hand out to touch the bark.“Fascinating.”

“What is?”

“It is warm to the touch,” Spock replied, his hand moving over the rough bark.

“That’s not fascinating.That’s creepy,” McCoy replied.“Stop touching that thing, who knows what sort of microbes and insects are crawling all over it?”

“Actually, doctor,” Spock said, his hand moving down to a strange growth in the tree’s side.“I cannot seem to stop.It’s as if I’m under some sort of compulsion.”He gripped the odd protrusion and started to pull.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I cannot stop, Leonard.”There was an edge of distress to Spock’s voice.The bark cracked under the Vulcan’s strength, revealing a strange hunk of metal resembling a knife hilt.Spock changed his grip and violently tore the object from the damaged wood.

“Spock, don’t!”

The warning came too late.Spock was gone; he had simply vanished into thin air.So had the mysterious tree.“Spock?” McCoy called out.There was no reply.

He whipped out his communicator.“McCoy to Enterprise.”No response, there was not even static.“Oh hell,” the doctor muttered.He put the communicator away and opened up the tricorder.The readings were all over the place.He couldn’t tell where any of the others were, let alone Spock.

Leonard wandered between the tall trees, hoping for a sign when he heard an indignant squeak.Perched on her haunches was a tiny brown mouse.She was looking up at a fallen log as if she wanted to climb it.McCoy paused to observe this strange creature.

The brown mouse looked over its shoulder at the doctor and squeaked again.She then turned her black-tipped nose back to the log.McCoy got the message.

“You really want up there?Here.”He laid his hand flat on the ground next to the mouse.She clambered onto his hand and sat patiently as he carried her to the top of the log.

“There you go,” he told her.

“Thank you,” the mouse replied.

McCoy blinked.Then he blinked again.“Wonderful, now I’m hallucinating.”

“Hardly, doctor.”She scratched her ear and blinked at the confused human.“I am Mouse Woman, a narnauk of this forest, Guardian of The Propriety and Custodian of Manners.”She said it as if McCoy would know what a narnauk was.

“So you’re the Emily Post of this planet,” McCoy said.

“Precisely,” Mouse Woman replied.

“Good, as long as we’re clear here.”Leonard set his hands on his hips.This whole situation was just damned odd.First the landing party vanishes and now he’s talking to a mouse.“I was wondering if you’ve seen any other men dressed like me wandering around?”

“Three in red and two in blue?” Mouse Woman asked.

“Did you see where they went?” McCoy asked.

“One in blue touched what he should not have and was captured by an angry spirit.The others went with him,” Mouse Woman explained.

“But I was there, why wasn’t I taken?” McCoy asked 

Mouse Woman seemed to smile.“Because one must remain to save the others.There must always be a chance for redemption.That is the way of things.”

“That is the way of things?” McCoy repeated to himself.”Why are you telling me this?”

Mouse Woman’s nose twitched.“Your friend awoke the monster that lives here.Now you must put it to sleep again.The balance of this world is disturbed and, therefore, is my concern.”

With communications down there was no way he could contact the _Enterprise_ to do a sensor sweep, let alone send a search party.That meant Leonard was on his own.He asked the narnauk as politely as he could, “Can you help me, ma’am?”

Mouse Woman wiggled with pleasure.“What you need is advice.Advice is a gift and I must receive a gift in turn.”

The doctor groaned to himself.Of course, nothing could be simple or easy.McCoy patted himself down wondering what he could give that Mouse Woman would even want.He reached into his pocket, his fingers closing around the tiny bracelet his daughter had woven.He could not give this away; Joanna would kill him, not to mention Spock.

He could see Mouse Woman watching him, her tiny paws wringing together.“I don’t really have anything, just something my daughter made,” McCoy said, hoping to placate Mouse Woman.

The tiny narnauk nodded, “Anything without value is not worth giving.”She tilted her head, beady eyes filled with ancient knowledge.“And that does have value to you, does it not?Because it was made with the love of your child.”

Leonard sighed; he had no idea how he was going to explain this.“All right, but it had better be damn good advice.”He took out the green and blue woven band and set it next to Mouse Woman. 

She squeaked with excitement and clutched it in her nimble paws.Her digits combed through the loose strands at the end, her face entranced.She looked at the doctor.“Your gift is most pleasing.I will give you the advice you need.”

She tucked the bracelet around her feet.“Your friends are in a grand home to the west.Follow the path of the sun and you should arrive within two days.But be warned, you will face three great dangers in your quest, and I may only inform you of two of them.”

Leonard tried to reign in his frustration.“Why only two?”

“Because the third is a test and that is the way of things,” Mouse Woman said.

“But the other two are just annoyances so they’re perfectly ripe for interference?” McCoy snapped.

Now he knew Mouse Woman was grinning at him.“You are starting to understand our ways.Wait here.”She dashed into a split in the log.A moment later, she dragged out a plastic comb that McCoy was half-expecting to be dripping with Barbicide.

“’The hell is that?”

“This is to help you with the first danger.You will encounter strange creatures that fly through the air.Toss the comb behind you as you run and they will harass you no longer,” Mouse Woman said.

Leonard snorted.“Why?Will they all stop to comb their hair?”

Mouse Woman frowned.“If you don’t want my help—“

McCoy cringed.Alienating the one being who was trying to help him was not the best idea.“I apologize, ma’am.I’m just having a rough time right now.”

The narnauk glared at him with a critical eye.“Apology accepted.Now reach into the log and pull out the first two things you touch.”

McCoy did as he was told and crouched down by the end of the log.He reached into the opening, seeking out the promised tokens.First, he pulled out a drawstring bag and second, he pulled out an ornate knife.“This makes me nervous,” he said, hefting the knife to test its weight.

“It should, it is for the third danger,” Mouse Woman said.

“The one you can’t tell me about, of course.”

“The bag is for the second.There is another narnauk like me in those woods.His name is Raven and he is a shape shifter.He won’t cause you any direct harm, he is not evil, but he will delay your quest indefinitely for his own amusement.”Mouse Woman scoffed.“He is full of mischief and nothing but trouble.”

A picture of Jim popped into McCoy’s head and he grinned.“Sounds like someone I know.So what do I do with the bag?”

“Just scatter its contents in front of Raven and he’ll leave you be.”

“Great.Anything else I need to know?”

Mouse Woman thought for a moment.“I was going to give you some meaningless platitudes but you are a grown man and I’ve taken enough of your time.”

“Thank you ma’am,” Leonard said with a courteous dip of his head.

With that McCoy waved goodbye to Mouse Woman and headed deeper into this strange new world, following the path of the sun.For hours he walked, the bright red orb sinking lower and lower in the sky.Despite the fact that he was in good shape, his legs ached and his feet throbbed.Starfleet issue boots were not really designed for days worth of walking.

Just as it was getting late enough for McCoy to consider looking for shelter, he reached a flat grassland.Although the terrain would normally have made for a pleasant walk, it made the doctor nervous.There was no cover and he was on an unexplored planet, something had to go wrong.And it did.

No sooner had he stepped into the fields of tall grass than a blood-curdling shriek ripped through the air.The creatures were grey with thick leathery wings and they circled overhead, ready to dive-bomb the doctor.

McCoy ran.The creatures screamed at him and he ducked as they swooped down trying to snatch him with their sharp claws.His hands grabbed at his utility belt, drawing his phaser.He turned to fire, only for the weapon to remain cold and unresponsive in his hands.A large creature opened its jaws and flew straight at him.McCoy rolled to the ground, the whoosh of air above his prone body telling him just how close he was to being dinner.

He grabbed at his belt again, searching for anything that might help him.“Ow!”McCoy winced as he grabbed the plastic comb by the pointed prongs.The comb.McCoy surged to his feet and raced forward, he had a plan.

Large grey shapes swooped into an attack formation, trailing the fleeing man.He glanced over his shoulder happy to see that all the monsters were behind him.McCoy threw the comb behind him, not looking to see where it landed.

The ground trembled and shook.McCoy stumbled as he tried to keep his footing.The creatures let out confused cries and he could no longer hear the beat of their wings as they soared through the air.

The doctor stopped to see what had happened.Where there used to be grass was now a massive dense forest.The trees grew so thick that no light penetrated through them.The strange creatures howled from within its depths, but it was obvious they could not get through.

Leonard sighed in relief.Now he could get some rest.He continued to walk, this time at a more sedate pace until he found a small cave under the ground.He tucked himself into it, eating the small mushrooms that grew there, at least the ones that looked safe based on his Starfleet survival classes.With full stomach and weary bones, he fell asleep.

As dawn broke over the horizon, Leonard found himself waking up to a familiar face.Startled, McCoy flailed and jumped to his feet, staring at his captain.“Christ Jim, are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Sorry, Bones,” Jim said, drawing out the vowel sounds as if he were trying out a new language.“I didn’t mean to.”

Leonard wasn’t certain if he felt suspicious because he wasn’t awake yet, or if it was because Jim felt off.“Where’s the rest of the landing party?Have you seen them?”

“No,” Jim said.Then his face brightened, blue eyes twinkling.“Let’s go look for them.”

“That was the idea—“

“Come on!”

McCoy forced down the feeling of revulsion as Kirk touched his hand.The surface was warm and dry but the texture was wrong.It was too smooth, too slick and definitely not skin.In fact, it was almost like touching a skittish bird.

The Not-Jim dragged him to the surface like an overeager child with a new toy.“Why don’t we start looking over there?”He pointed in a direction that was definitely not where McCoy wanted to go.

“Jim, that’s the way I just came,” Leonard explained.

“Don’t worry about it." 

“Jim.”McCoy jerked at his trapped hand.The Not-Jim would not let go.

The narnauk tugged at Leonard, pulling him close.“We’re going to have lots of fun together, won’t we Bones?” Now he was getting worried.He was going to have to think of something fast or he was never going to see Spock or the others again.

“Jim, it’s awfully early and we haven’t had breakfast yet,” Leonard offered.He reached into his utility belt and took out the small drawstring bag.“What do you say to a snack?’

Not-Jim’s eyes narrowed with greed.“Open it, open it!”

Having only one free hand, it didn’t take much for Leonard to spill the bags’ contents.“Oops,” he said, voice dry as the desert.

Not-Jim relinquished McCoy’s hand and dove for the birdseed that now littered the ground.The narnauk shoveled the food into his mouth in fistfuls, Leonard completely forgotten. 

Sensing the opportunity, McCoy ran as fast as his feet could carry him.He did not look back.

Many hours and many miles later, the doctor reached his goal.The house was carved out of the living rock of the mountain, as grand and beautiful as anyone could imagine.Vegetation sprouted around the carefully maintained paths with bright colors and a welcoming aroma.

But most welcome of all was the familiar figure standing outside carrying a bundle of wood.McCoy’s heart thumped in his chest.All the worry he had suppressed burst its way to the surface.Spock was alive.Spock was alive!

“Spock!” Leonard called out, rushing to the Vulcan’s side.He embraced the other man without shame.“Where the hell have you been, you green-blooded hobgoblin?”

The man in his arms stiffened and stared at him with a blank expression.It wasn’t the usual Vulcan stoicism but a complete lack of recognition.“Who are you?” Spock asked.

Leonard drew back as if he’d been slapped.He looked the other man up and down.Spock was out of his uniform and in some simple homespun clothes that really didn’t suit him. He tried again, “I’m Leonard.Spock, don’t you know me?”

The Vulcan frowned.“I do not know you, nor this Spock.”He bent down to pick up the wood he dropped when Leonard had violently hugged him.“I am called Gatherer. 

Terrific, not only were four crewmates still missing but Spock had amnesia.This quest was getting ridiculous.Leonard wondered if this was the third danger Mouse Woman had mentioned.Spock didn’t feel dangerous, just not with the program.He was going to have to play this by ear.

“Look Gatherer, I’m tired and hungry and my friends are missing.Can I crash at your place tonight and start looking in the morning?”

“Gatherer” glanced back at the house.“It is not my home.It belongs to my Master.”

“Oh,” Leonard started in disappointment.

“But he does not mind guests although he has strict rules for his hospitality.If you follow them, you can stay for as long as you like.”

McCoy sighed in relief.“Thank you.”He helped Spock gather up the last of the wood and followed the Vulcan into the huge house.As they trudged through the massive corridor, “Gatherer” laid down the ground rules.

“You must remain indoors for the duration of your stay and will have the run of the entire house except for one room.”Spock led him to a thick wooden door with an iron handle.“This room is strictly forbidden.Do you understand?”

“Yes. 

“Good.”They moved on to the kitchen where they prepared a meager meal.As they ate, Gatherer asked, “Who is this Spock you mistook me for?”

Leonard nearly choked on his dinner.That was a loaded question.“He’s someone very special to me.”

“I see.Will you tell me about him?”

So Leonard did.He spoke long into the night regaling “Gatherer” with the exploits of the _Enterprise_ crew.Even though the tales entertained “Gatherer,” McCoy couldn’t help feeling uneasy.The other man should know all these things, should be correcting him when he exaggerates, should be an active participant and not just sitting as if he had never experienced it.

As Leonard finished a rather funny story, “Gatherer” said, “You seem to be fond of this Spock.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Leonard muttered. 

The man who looked so much like Spock glanced at his hands.“I wish to know that same affection someday.”

McCoy’s heart leapt to his throat.“Maybe you can,” he said.He wished he still had Joanna’s bracelet but this would have to do instead.

He cupped the Vulcan’s face and brought his lips to the other man’s.Leonard poured all the love and the affection he had for Spock into the kiss.It was stupid and it was foolish but a tiny part of him, the part that had married his high school sweetheart, the part that fought for every patient no matter how far gone, the part that remained untouched despite all his heartache and pain, believed that Spock would remember.It was that part of him that allowed him to love this beautiful enigmatic man who drove him crazy with anger as much as passion.

When they parted, Spock still didn’t know him.“Thank you,” Gatherer said and left the room.

As he sat alone at the kitchen table, McCoy clenched his fists.Maybe the third danger was his breaking heart.

\---------------  


For two days, Leonard did as he was told.He stayed in the house, helped cook meals and stayed out of the mysterious room but he was getting nowhere.No matter how many stories he told, Spock did not remember who he was and there was no information in the house about what happened to him or the others. 

By the third day, Leonard had had enough.He waited until Spock had departed for the day and made his way downstairs to the heavy wooden door.

But when he opened it, he was completely unprepared for what he saw.A foul-smelling cauldron bubbled in the center of a room with bloody walls, and a body dangled from a hook attached to the ceiling.It was Jolsen, and he was dead.

Leonard backed away from the sight, bile rising in his throat.He had to get Spock out of here.Suddenly, the door slammed with a loud bang and an ancient voice cried out, “Who dares to enter my chamber?”

Leonard looked for the intruder and was startled to discover that it was the figure from the tree.The creature lunged at him and McCoy barely dodged the attack in time.They danced around each other for a moment, trying to find an opening. 

Leonard took out the last present from Mouse Woman and held it out.Enraged at the sight, the terrible creature lunged again.McCoy blindly thrust the knife out, somehow striking the man in the side.The monster screamed in pain then vanished.

 

Before McCoy could bring himself to his feet the door opened.It was Spock.The Vulcan rushed to his side.“Are you unharmed?”

“I’m fine.Let’s—“

Spock pressed Leonard against his body, seeking comfort against the doctor’s lips.McCoy moaned and opened himself up to the Vulcan, revealing in the warmth and happiness they both felt.As they parted for breath, Spock trailed a finger down Leonard’s cheek.“I remember.I remember everything.” 

“You’d better.”

“How did you think to break the spell?” Spock asked.

Leonard told Spock all about the mysterious Mouse Woman and her sage advice.“I figured that you told me not to look behind that door for a reason.So, I opened it.”

Spock considered this for a moment and nodded.“Sometimes disobedience is the best course of action.”

“Remember that next time you yell at Jim for some fool stunt of his.”

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow.“As should you, Leonard.”

They allowed themselves a few precious moments to themselves before hailing the ship.After promising to explain everything that had happened over the past few days, the _Enterprise_ agreed to beam them up.

As the familiar tingle of the transporter beam overtook them, Spock said, “Leonard, you have a present from Joanna for me.”

McCoy groaned, “Spock, about that—“

 

 

 


End file.
